◆ SpookStack

———— As. we drove -@s. hat road I was almost @.,. out the front window and windows trying to see her walking down that road. I re- lated this to Gargan and Markham and they said they understood this feeling, but it was necessary to report it. And about this time we, came to the ferry crossing and I got out of the car and we talked there just a few minutes. I just wondered how all this could pos- sibly have happened. I also hdd sort of a thought and the wish and desire nd the hope that suddenly this whole accident would disap- pear, ahd they reiterated that this has to be reported and I under- © stood at the time that I left that ferry boat--left the slip where the ferry boat was, that it had to be reported and I had full in- tention of reporting it, and I mentioned to Gargan and Markham something like, "You take care of the girls, I will take care of — c the accident." That _is what I said and I dove into the water. ™~ Now, I startec to swim out into that tide and the tide sud- Genly became, felt an extraordinary shove and almost pulling me Gown again, the water pulling me down, and suddenly I realized at that time even as I failed to realize before I dove into the water that I was in a weakened condition, although as I had looked over . that distance between the ferry slip and the other side, it seemed to me an inconsequential swim; but the water got colder, the tide began to draw me out and for the second time that evening 1 knew - was going to drown and the strength continued to leave me. By this - ‘time I was probably 50 yards off the shore and I remembered being © swept down toward the direction of the Edgartown Light and well out . into the darkness, and I contined to swim, tried to swim ata Slower pace to be able to regain whatever kind of strength that was left in me. And some time after, I think it was about the middle of the channel, a little further than that, the tide was much calmer, gent- Cer, and I began to get my--make some progress, @iud iindaliy was able tc reach the other shore and all the nightmares and all the tragedy and all the loss of Mary Jo's death was right before me again. And when I was able to gain this shore, this Edgartown side, I pulled myself on the beach and then attempted to gain some strength. After that, I walked up one of the streets in the direc- tion of the Shiretown Inn. By walking up one of the streets, I walked into a parking lot . that was adjacent to the Inn and I can remember almost having no further strength to continue, and leaning against a tree for a length of time, walking through the parking lot, trying to really gather some kind of idea as to what happened and feeling that I just had to go to my room at that time, which I did by walking through the front entrance of the Shiretown Inn up the stairs. [Q] Q: Do you have any idea what time yoru arrived at the Shiretown Inn? A: I would say some time before 2:00. Q: Did you talk to anyone at that time? . A: I went to my room and I was shaking with chill. I took off all my clothes and collapsed on the bed. And at this time I was very conscious of a throbbing headache, of pains in my neck, of strain on my back; but what I was even more conscious of is the « tragedy and loss of a very devoted friend. Q: Now, did you change your clothing? , -14-